St. David's School of Nursing opens for applications

Posted by Jayme Blaschke University News Service September 9, 2009

After years of planning, the St. David's School of Nursing became official Sept. 9, as Texas State University-San Marcos announced the new school on the Round Rock Campus is now accepting student applications.

The first class of 100 students will be admitted for the fall 2010 semester.

"It's very exciting for us. We've been receiving so many calls over the past year, it's great that we can finally say 'You can apply,'" said Marla Erbin-Roesemann, director of the St. David's School of Nursing and associate dean of the College of Health Professions. "We will accept 100 students and are anticipating 300-400 applicants.

"We would not be surprised by that many applicants at all. It will be nice for us, giving us the ability to pick the best, the brightest and most passionate applicants," she said. "We want to make sure that we not only take the students who are most academically prepared, but those with a passion for the profession."

The application is expected to be online by the end of the week at the St. David's School of Nursing website, along with detailed application instructions, Erbin-Roesemann said. Only junior-classified applicants who have completed freshman- and sophomore-level prerequisites will be considered. The deadline for applications is Jan. 15, 2010. After that, all applications will be reviewed, students will be invited in for interviews and the final decisions on admission will be made by the end of March.

St. David's Foundation helped establish the nursing program with a $6 million gift in 2006. The Texas Legislature provided additional start-up funding.

"St. David’s Foundation is committed to improving health care in Central Texas, and St. David’s School of Nursing is an integral part of that commitment," said Earl Maxwell, CEO of St. David’s Foundation. "The Foundation’s gift will have a significant impact on the healthy future of our community as the students applying for admission in 2010 become nursing professionals at area clinics and hospitals in just a few short years."

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the degree plan and the establishment of a school of nursing Jan. 29 of this year. The Texas Board of Nursing subsequently gave its approval in July, contingent upon completion of a dedicated building. Progress continues on that building--located on the Round Rock Campus--with the roof having recently been completed. School of nursing faculty participated in a "Topping Off" ceremony Sept. 9, symbolically signing a beam in the roof structure.

"The contractor tells us the building will be ready for move-in by late spring," Dean of the College of Health Professions Ruth Welborn, who completed an initial feasibility study for a nursing program back in 2003. "That will give our faculty and staff the opportunity to move into their offices and familiarize themselves with the simulation labs and classrooms before the first students arrive in August."